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L RAIL GOUPLINGL No. 317,065. I 1 Y Patented Maly 5, `1885.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. WITTY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA. i

RAlL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 317,065, dated May 5, 1885.

Application filed March 25, 1884. (No model.) l

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JOHN B. WITTY, of the city of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bail-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My said invention consists in an improved construction of rail-couplings for use in railway-switches, by the use of which the rails may be easily and tightly clamped and rigidly held in position, as will be presently more particularly set forth. e

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are madea part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a transverse section of a railway-track alongside 'a coupling embodying my said invention and a switch-stand connected thereto; Fig. 2, atop or plan View of the same as seen when looking downwardly from the dotted line y y; Fig. 3, a transverse section on an enlarged scale on the dotted line z z of the portion which embodies my present invention; Aand Fig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 3,

showing my invention as applied to doublethrow switches.

In said drawings, the portions marked A represent the head-blocks, on which the switch is mounted; B, the switch-stand; C, atie-rod, which forms a part of the coupling, and D a brace-rod placed between the rails, which forms the other part of the coupling.

The head-block A, switch-stand B, its operating-rod B', the connecting-rod B2, and the railroad-rails are shown to illustrate the application and operation of my improved railcoupling, and do not constitute any part of my present invention. They will not, therefore, be further described herein, except incidentally in the description of said rail-coupling, which alone forms the subject-matter of this application.

The tie-rod C is coupled to the connectingrod B2 in the ordinary or any approved manner. It has a lip or flange, c', a short distance from this connection, which is formed to tit snugly against the outer side of the rail. Its other end extends under the rails to the other side of the track, and is screw-threaded. It is provided on this end with a washer, c, the

faof which is adapted to ne snugly to the 4 outside of the rail on this side of the track, and a nut, c3, by means of which said washer is held in place against said rail. Between the rails it is provided with upwardly-projecting lugs c, which extend up alongside the brace- -rod D and hold it in place.

The brace rod D is placed between the rails, and is of the required length to make the track the proper width. Its ends d are formed to fit against the sides of the rails, between which it is placed. It is placed between the lugs c* on the tie-bar, and it is thus prevented from gettingout of place. In Fig. etis shown a means for coupling more than two rails, which consists in simply extending the rod C to the proper length, and inserting an additional bar D for each additional rail.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The several parts being in the position shown,

the nut c3 is screwed up tightly against the washer c2, which crowds against the outside of the rail. The lip or'iiange c on the other end of the rod C at the same time draws the "other rail inward, and thus the rails are drawn toward each other against the ends ofthe bracerod D and tightly clamped in position. If from long use or other cause the rails become loose, a partial turn of the nut is sufficient to make them perfectly tight again. When it is desired to removea rail, it can be readily done by simply backing the nut off until said rail is free from the clamps. i

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a rail-coupling, the combination of a tie-rod having a lip or` projection adapted to engage with the outside of one rail, and a nut and washer on its opposite end adapted to engage with the outside of the other rail, and a brace-rod interposed between the rails, its ends bearing against the inside surfaces thereof,

IGS f l rod being connected by the lugs c4, Which project from one rod and engage With` the other, substantiallyas described, and for the pur- 15 poses speeiied.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis, Indiana., this 22d day of March, A. D. 1884.

JOHN B. WITTY. [1.. 5.]

Witnesses:

E. WV. BRADFORD, CHAs. L. THURBER.

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